Denny Burkholder

Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta has resigned from his position with family business Station Casinos in order to devote his full energies to the UFC.

UFC president Dana White promised an announcement this week that would shape the future of the MMA business for years to come. Fertitta will focus his efforts on helping the UFC gain a stronger foothold internationally, according to the report.

Lorenzo and his brother, Frank Fertitta III, co-own the UFC, along with White.

Frank will retain his 45 percent ownership of the UFC, but will remain as CEO of Station Casinos, while Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White will become co-heads of the UFC. In the Yahoo story, White enthusiastically praised the move:

““There just isn’t enough time in the day for me to do everything that needs to be done. Lorenzo’s wife said to me the other day, ‘The two of you together is scary.’ I think what we’re going to be able to do now is amazing."The move is not believed to be an indictment of White's performance in handling the UFC's business on his own, but a reflection of the increased workload involved in trying to grow the UFC's business abroad.